Women in Transition
Transitioning countries, also called developing countries, are those undergoing substantial development to their economies, politics, and societies. It is recognized that women are critical in the full realization of the potential of countries around the world. In many societies, women and girls are not given equal access to education (see education page) nor employment, thus limiting the work force to 50% of available talent and knowledge. When women have higher education and/or a job they are likely to have fewer children, feed those children better, and send them to school. Investing in women leads to greater societal development over time.
Included here are the stories of women who are investing in themselves and the women around them. The work that these women have dedicated their lives to is changing the world. They are changing the way women are perceived in their communities, proving that women are capable, smart, and passionate. Included on this page are the stories, resources, and statistics on women empowering themselves to change their situation, and in turn the world. We focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan. These are two countries that have, traditionally, struggled with development and equal rights. There is still much work to be done but both countries have been making significant progress in recent years. Their successes and challenges are highlighted here.
Afghanistan:
Afghanistan
is currently rebuilding after years of war, oppressive rule, and broken
institutions. The United Nations, other governments, non-governmental
organizations, and private investors are making progress in real terms
throughout Afghanistan. But, there is significant development that
still needs to occur. The UN Development Program ranks Afghanistan as
the only country seriously off track
with regards to the Millennium
Development Goal of Promotion of Gender Equality and Empowerment of
Women. Outlined below are indicators of the current situation in
Afghanistan.
- 7.6 million people, or a third of Afghanistan’s population, are
food-insecure. Another 14% are borderline food-insecure. Over half of
children under 5 years are chronically malnourished, and one-fifth of
Afghan women of child-bearing age are underweight. Full Story
- According to a 2011 UNICEF report,
Afghanistan’s adult literacy rate is 39%. However, adult female
literacy rate is only 13%. Sixty percent of the 4.2 million out -of
-school children are girls, and there are no female students enrolled
in grades 10-12 in 200 out of 412 districts. Although literacy
rates are improving, especially in urban areas, female literacy rates
remain low in rural areas. Full Story
- Increasing
female literacy is essential to the country’s human development, since
the education level of the mother determines her children’s quality of
life. Full Story
- 87% of women suffer from domestic abuse. Few report these
abuses due to fear of social stigmatization and many other barriers.
Afghanistan is the second lowest country in the 2013 UNDP Gender
Inequality Index (147 of 148 nations).
- Only 5% of cases involving violence against women surveyed by
the UN in a recent report ended in prosecution in a formal court.
Full Report (for related news stories, see here and here).
- Afghanistan reserves 25% of its national parliament seats for
women. These women have limited power, however, since female
politicians are often expected to remain passive, and those who are
outspoken become targets for violence. (Full Story)
In 2015, conservatives in 2015 attempted to eliminate the law requiring
25% of parliament seats to be reserved for women. (Full story)
- In 2014,
Afghanistan’s infant rates were the highest in the world, due to
infectious disease, respiratory infections, malnutrition, and vaccine
preventable illnesses. There has been success with immunization programs,
though more so in urban than rural areas. Malnutrition and poor sanitation
are major contributing factors to poor infant and child health throughout
the country. Full Story
- Over half of Afghanistan’s population, particularly pregnant
women and children, are vulnerable to malaria. It has the second
highest number of malaria cases of countries in the region. Full story
- Although
awareness and use of modern family planning methods has increased, the
percentage of women using contraceptives remains low at 20%. Full Story
- Over 60% of reported tuberculosis cases are among women,
even when more men suffer from tuberculosis in most other parts of the
world. Full report;
Summary of report
Ongoing Efforts:
Outlined below are ongoing efforts by development agencies
throughout Afghanistan. The UN has stressed the need to keep the
development of Afghanistan as a top priority in the coming years in
order for the broader effects of international support for Afghanistan
to manage its own affairs is likely to fail. Full Story
- There are many grassroots economic development efforts
on going throughout Afghanistan. Arzu employs rural Afghan women to
weave rugs which are sold in developed countries. Arzu provides
training, literacy, and health services, including water filtration and
community centers. Full Story
- Women for Afghan Women is a women’s rights organization
which advocates for the rights of Afghan women and provides education,
community organization, crisis intervention, and shelters for women
throughout Afghanistan. Full Story
- USAID is invested in Afghanistan’s long-term development,
which includes women’s education. Full Story
- In
2003, for 100,000 live births, 1,600 women died; there was also lack of
access to qualified health workers, and 94% of deliveries were attended
by unskilled personnel. Due to efforts from organizations such as the
UNDP, the maternal mortality rate has fallen significantly. Full Story
Here are stories of how these development efforts are changing
the lives of women and girls throughout Afghanistan:
- The Women of Kabul is an ongoing project to chronicle the
lives of five women in Kabul since the fall of the Taliban. This
project gives insight to the changes that have been made in
Afghanistan, and how those affect the lives of individual women. Full Story
- First hand accounts from women on the way their lives have
changed under and since the fall of the Taliban. Many women are afraid
of what will happen to their rights when the international presence is
minimized in 2014. Full Story
Interviews with afghan women and other videos:
- UNDP Afghanistan shared the stories of Afghan women who are empowered to create change in their communities. Full Story
- This video is an interview with photographer Jodi Bieber
who traveled to Afghanistan to photograph women for a Time
article. Full Story
- Al Jazeera investigates the real gains in women’s rights
since the fall of the Taliban, including interviews with a panel of
experts on the current situation in Afghanistan and how best to combat
injustices against women. Full Story
Encouraging signs:
- Since 2002, the number of girls attending school has increased 30%
- The legal age for marriage has been raised to 17, making child marriage more difficult
- Infant and child mortality is declining due to better access to clean water and sanitation
- In
2003, for 100,000 live births, 1,600 women died; there was also lack
of access to qualified health workers, and 94% of deliveries were
attended by unskilled personnel. The maternal mortality rate has fallen
significantly to 327 deaths for every 100,000 live births. Full Story
Afghanistan News Stories:
- An expose of the women in Afghanistan’s jails and the
crimes they have committed. Many women in Kabul jails have been charged
with moral crimes and many are victims of abusive husbands. Full Story
- The efforts of the first female district chief in Afghanista. Full Story
- A profile of member of parliament, Shinkai Karokhail, and
the current state of women in Afghanistan, in particular their role in
parliament and other professions. Full Story
- The Guardian interviewed seven women in Afghanistan on
their anxieties with the coming withdrawal of international troops in
2014. Many are worried that their newfound freedom and empowerment will
be taken from them. Full Story
For more information:
- Facts and figures on the progress of rural women against
the Millennium Development goals and resources on gender equality and
empowerment of women. Full Story
- UN Women is the United Nations entity for gender equality
and the empowerment of women. This is their homepage which highlights
their focus areas and ongoing efforts to change the lives of women
around the world and Afghanistan in particular. http://www.unwomen.org/
Pakistan
Pakistan is
the third most dangerous country in the world for women. Each year,
more than 1,000 women are murdered in ’honor killings’ awhile more than
90 percent suffer domestic abuse. Honor killings are murders, typically
by family members, when the victim has brought dishonor upon the
family, typically in rural areas in Pakistan. Acid throwing, forced
marriages, violence against women including domestic abuse and rape,
and forced prostitution are all too common in Pakistan, and in fact,
prevalence has been increasing. The status of women varies
greatly depending upon class, region, and tribe. Full Story
In 2011, Pakistan was ranked next to last (134 of 135) in the
human development index, which is comprised of life expectancy, mean
years of school, and gross national income. For the same year, Pakistan
was ranked 115 in gender inequality. Current indicators of the
development of Pakistan are outline below.
Current indicators of the development of Pakistan are outline below.
- If $2 per day is the poverty line, then as much as 60% of the population may be living under the poverty line. Full Story
- Pakistan
ranks 146th out of 187 countries on the United Nations Development
Programme's 2013 Human Development Index ’ a comparative measure of
life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living for
countries worldwide. Full Story
- Rural
people make up two thirds of the population. However, they account for
80 percent of the country's poor people. Their livelihoods are
dependent on agriculture in land that is arid, rugged, and not easily
cultivated. Full Story
- 60%
of the population is literate. The overall primary school enrollment is
57%. The gender difference in literacy is still significant, with only
a 47% female literacy rate in comparison to the 70% male literacy rate.
The government has devoted only 2% of its budget to education. Full Story
- Pakistan
has been found to have ’very high’ restrictions on women’s
decision-making power and status in the household and family dues to
factors such as:
- Early marriage and forced marriage for women
- Low contraceptive prevalence. Although 95% of married women know of modern contraceptive methods, only 26% are using them.
- 99% of women without children are not using any contraceptives.
- Limited rights or control in divorce, domestic abuse, and rape cases.
- High bias towards sons, such as in education and healthcare.
- Full
Story
- Pakistan reserves 33% of seats in the local elected
bodies and 17% of seats in the National Assembly, provincial
assemblies, and the Senate for women. In 2014, there were 67 women
serving in the National Assembly (20.7%) and 17 (16%) women in the
upper house. Full Story
- Pakistan’s
maternal mortality rate has seen great improvement. In 2001-02 (the
latest year with data available) 3,501 women died per 100,000 live
births due to complications from pregnancy, labor, or delivery. In
2010, 260 women died per 100,000 live
births.
- Malaria
and TB death rates have been declining since 2000, with a 2.9% annual
drop in malaria cases and a 4.6$ annual drop in malaria mortality
rates. TB also declined with 277 cases of TB per 100,000 people and 32
deaths per 100,000 people. Full story
Ongoing Efforts:
- There are ongoing efforts to decrease the level of violence
against women throughout Pakistan. OXFAM is working to secure displaced
women and change cultural norms to make violence against women
unacceptable. Full Story
- The Aga Khan Development Network is also operating in rural
Pakistan. Activities include building bridges, irrigation channels, and
infrastructure projects. All of these programs utilize local networks
and community based approaches, promoting the involvement of women
throughout the process. Full Story
- MEDA Pakistan is working to empower women through
employment and education with the goal of self-sufficiency. Many women
participating in MEDA Pakistan are involved in farming or the textile
industry and MEDA opens new markets to the women to sell their products
in. Donors include USAID, the Canadian government and FAO United
Nations. http://www.meda.org.pk/
- There has been progress made recently with regards to the
legal standing of women in Pakistan. The Protection of Women Act begins
to ensure safety and security of women in Pakistan by focusing on
sexual harassment at the workplace and acid throwing. Discussion of
this act can be found in this United States Institute of Peace Special
Report, which highlights the increasing emphasis on human rights
throughout Pakistan. Full Story
The lives of Pakistani women are highlighted in these stories. The
presence of abuse in the daily lives of women is striking and the need
for change is abundantly clear.
- This article profiles six poor women in Pakistan about their day-to-day lives and the horrors they endure each and every day. Full Story
- Photo Gallery of Pakistani women with short biographies accompanying their portraits. Gallery
- There are encouraging signs for the role women can play in
Pakistani society. More women are involved in politics and business
than ever before. Highlighted here are female leaders Pakistan who are
paving the way for future leaders Full Story
- Moreover, three Pakistani women made the Foreign Policy Top
100 Global Thinkers list, including activists and politicians. Here are
their short biographies Full Story
For more information:
- UN Women, the United Nations entity for Gender Equality and
the Empowerment of Women provides advice and support for the
implementation of gender equality and empowerment agenda, with a focus
upon economic security, political participation, and freedom from
violence. In here are the programs (Full Story) that are active in Pakistan and the results (Full Story) that have been seen thus far.
- The United Nations Development Program, in partnership with
the Government of Pakistan is working to achieve outlined development
goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. This site details
prioritized goals including building democratic society, supporting
credible, transparent, and inclusive elections, and fighting
poverty. http://undp.org.pk/
Video:
- The story of Sughra Solangi, who received the International
Women of Courage award from the U.S. State Department, presented by
Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama for her work of empowerment of the
women of Pakistan. Video
- The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health
Organization (WHO) have launched a campaign to help Pakistan battle
pneumonia, which although completely preventable, continues to kill
large numbers of children throughout rural Pakistan. Video
Pakistan News Stories:
- April 7, 2013, Badam Zari has become the first woman to run
for political office in the Federally Administered Tribal Area in
Pakistan. Full Story
- On March 27, 2013, two motorcyclists killed a female
Pakistani teacher in Peshawar. The UN has condemned this attack, along
with others on female aid workers and teachers throughout Pakistan. Full Story
